Moment of Pondering
by saunatonttu
Summary: Shark stops to think about IV's peculiar behaviour during their latest encounter. Spoilers for episode 50. Can't be counted as disqualifyshipping. Rated T just in case.


**A/N: **Uh, my first Zexal fanfic. I do not have a good grasp on the characters yet, so this may or may not be a little OOC.

All criticism is accepted.

This takes place in the episode 50. So beware of the spoilers. There's at least one event in the episode that is mentioned in this fic.

**Note: **This can't really be counted as disqualifyshipping, can it? Yeah, I thought so.

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Moment of Pondering

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Shark usually didn't bother to worry about IV – hell, who would feel concerned about the person who apparently was at fault for _that_ tragedy? Shark hadn't. Not before this, at least.

Right now, Shark – or rather, Ryoga – was thinking, pondering about his latest encounter with the bastard he detested from the bottom of his heart. No, _hated_.

Ryoga exhaled slowly, noting how his hands were shaking out of the anger he felt towards the manipulative opponent of his. _Despicable, that's what he is. _

But there had been something wrong with IV, this Ryoga couldn't deny. He had known the two-faced duelist so long that he knew IV's behaviour almost as well as his own. (He had studied IV, his facial and other expressions and duel tactics for months if not years already.)

IV had seemed genuinely upset about something – although Ryoga had paid no attention to that at first during his monologue; it was only afterwards that he realized that there had been something off with the other duelist.

Now Ryoga was leaning against his motorcycle, trying to calm down and assess the situation without childish emotions getting in the way, which was always hard when it came to someone like IV. _I hate him, I hate him so much. The bastard is nothing but scum. _

_Focus, _Ryoga told himself and furrowed his brow in concentration. _He looked like he wanted to say something. In the end, he didn't. Why?_

Shark huffed aloud, placing his hands against the cool surface of his motorbike. Somehow touching his motorbike with his fingertips had always had a soothing effect on him – perhaps because it reminded him that he still had something that stayed by his side. It didn't matter that this something happened to be a lifeless piece of machinery.

Shark had never been that good at dealing with the living... His little sister had been an outstanding exception, though. _Sister... _

A light breeze caused the boy shudder; it was cold, maybe even chilling. He ought to either get onto the bike or just go to watch and listen to Mr. Heartland's cheesy opening speech. Ryoga scowled at the thought; in a packed room of people, it was possible he would bump into _him _again. Shark honestly wouldn't be able to deal with him again when he was this... perplexed about the other.

Ryoga wondered what IV had wanted to say to him. Probably nothing good, something about fan service or something dirty like that. "Hmph", Shark humphed out loud and sneered, disliking the amount of that cheater in his head. _Either way, the expression on his face wasn't as collected or smug as it usually is, _the boy continued his inner debate, awkwardly standing up from his position.

Glancing at the motorbike, Ryoga sighed again and finally climbed onto the seat. He wasn't going to stay put, not right now. The final tournament would begin the next day and he'd do everything in his power to prepare himself for it. For IV.

Only defeating IV would grant him any sort of satisfaction in this tournament. Nothing else.

Pressing the accelerator with his foot, the helmet and the goggles already on his head, Ryoga was off. Pretending that he wasn't confused about IV's strangeness during their encounter. Pretending that he wasn't almost agreeing with Yuma's theory of dueling without revenge in his heart.

Ignoring the painful question that he never dared to think about.

Was his sister's condition _really_ IV's fault?

Ryoga never allowed that thought slip into his mind after that first time, but it never left him alone. _But, _he kept reminding himself, _there's no way he didn't do it. There's no way he didn't, there's no way he would have lied about that. _

The next day would hopefully be his last one in this tournament.


End file.
